17% Of Households Now Use Mobile Broadband

Thanks to 3G technology, mobile broadband is a viable alternative to fixed line access – but what’s the best option for you?

17% of households now use mobile broadband, with 7% exclusively relying on it for internet access – according to new research published by telecoms watchdog Ofcom.

But the same report also found that average mobile broadband speeds are still significantly slower than those offered by traditional broadband. The average mobile download speed is now 1.5 Mbps, compared to 6.2 Mbps for a fixed line connection.

These figures don’t mean mobile broadband isn’t a viable alternative for some households. The Ofcom research found there were significant differences in the mobile broadband speeds that can be obtained from different network operators in different parts of the country.

In areas with good 3G coverage, average speeds reach 2.1 Mbps – faster than the maximum fixed line provision in some places. On average, O2 provides the fastest mobile broadband speeds, with Orange offering the slowest.

And while living in a city doesn’t guarantee a fast 3G connection, some 16% of the UK is still unable to receive a mobile broadband connection – and those areas are mostly in the countryside.

4G mobile broadband networks

If your mobile broadband connection is slow or non existent, things could be changing very soon.

4G (or LTE) technology, which will be trialled from this September and rolled out in 2013, will use the radio frequency spectrum freed up by the digital TV switchover to offer a much faster mobile broadband service.

With 4G, you should be able to access a 10 Mbps connection from the outset, but the technology has the potential to offer up to as much as 150 Mbps in the future. Better still, coverage is likely to be much better – and is likely to meet the demands of rural customers who presently have no mobile broadband access.

Moneyhighstreet says: “Mobile broadband is often the best option in areas where fixed line coverage is slow or non-existent, but some rural customers still face problems accessing either kind of network.

“If you can’t access fixed line broadband in your area, consult the mobile broadband coverage maps to see whether 3G is available in your area – and if so, which operator offers the best speeds.

“And if you can’t access either fixed line or mobile broadband, don’t give up hope – new 4G connections are just round the corner, and are likely to offer you a reliable high speed service.”